fall is coming

It has been a long hot wet summer. It has been nearly impossible to do anything outside this year, as my days off have been featuring torrential rainfall or ninety plus degree temperatures with high humidity or both. And let's not even discuss the mosquitoes this summer. There are all sorts I have never seen before. There is kind the size of a quarter - the ginormosucker. There is another that is half the size of a normal mosquito but comes at you in clouds and is twice as voracious - and the spray doesn't work on deterring it.

So I am glad autumn is approaching.

Cool temperatures. Low humidity. Skies of a blue you only see in Michigan in the fall. Apples, pears, and peaches. Mums and autumn sedum in bloom. Apple cider and donuts. High school and college football. Marching bands. High School Boys' Soccer. Frosts to kill mosquitoes. Harvest and Hunting Moons bright in the sky. Leaves turning into living jewels fluttering in the breeze. Waterfowl migrations. A world turned to orange and gold with pumpkins and corn shocks in the fields bordered by bright forests.

Beauty.

soccer afternoon

What had been a cloudy day turned into a lovely late afternoon - perfect weather to sit outdoors and watch a soccer game.

It was the first round of high school boys' soccer districts, and our team lost to Dexter 1-0.

Sad, but the sunset was gorgeous, the sky glowing with color and filled with formations of wild geese.

Then we came home and got to watch the Red Wings game on television as we ate a good home cooked dinner. the rice 7 bean burritos were great, and the Wings beat the Carolina Hurricanes 3-1.

Sometimes life is good.

Botanical Gardens

Yesterday Dan and I went to the UM Botanical Gardens in Dixboro for a walk in the woods along Fleming Creek. Beautiful fall colors, and two middle aged people with bad knees gimping along taking in all of the beauty.

After, we went grocery shopping at Whole Foods and Sam's Club.

And went for another walk through the neighborhood, then sat next to a fire in the fire bowl in the backyard for a while after dark.

It was a quiet and romantic day, very enjoyable, though our bad knees now hate both of us.

Today we will go watch Steven and his team mates play in high school boys' soccer districts against Dexter. I am expecting a Dexter win - they have gone to states the last two years, winning states two years ago.